Mercedes Shooting Break concept revealed

Mercedes has revealed its Shooting Break concept car ahead of its unveiling at the Auto China motor show later this week.

Although officially described as a concept car, what you are effectively looking at is the new CLS, which will go on sale in the spring of 2011. The concept car's front gives the biggest clues to the look of the next CLS.

Mercedes says it will gauge public reaction to the Shooting Break at the Chinese show before making a decision to put the car into production. However, Mercedes sources say you can expect a similar-looking CLS production model to be unveiled at the Paris motor show in the autumn.

Mercedes has been through this process before. It revealed its Concept Fascination concept car at the Paris motor show in 2008, which was a precursor to the E-Class Coupe.

The four-seater Shooting Break, therefore, is tipped to turn the CLS into a rival to the likes of the BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo.

The Shooting Break also shows off a new design direction that all new Mercedes cars will take, under the guidance of Mercedes' new head of design, Gorden Wagener.

The streamlined look, says Mercedes, is reminiscent of art deco, highlighted by the Mercedes logo written in a script typeface on the door sills.